On everich breaste yn gorie letteres scarre,
Whatt sprytes you have, & howe those sprytes maie dree.
And gyf yee gette awaie to Denmarkes shore,
Eftesoones we will retourne, & vanquished bee ne moere. 985
The battelle loste, a battelle
was yndede;
Note queedes hemselfes culde
stonde so harde a fraie;
Oure verie armoure, & oure
heaulmes dyd blede,
The Dacyannes, sprytes, lyche
dewe drops, fledde awaie.
Ytte was an AElla dyd commaunde
the daie; 990
Ynn spyte of foemanne, I moste
saie hys myghte;
Botte wee ynn hynd-lettes
blodde the loss wylle paie,
Brynnynge, thatte we knowe
howe to wynne yn fyghte;
Wee wylle, lyke wylfes enloosed
from chaynes, destroie;—
Oure armoures—wynter
nyghte shotte oute the daie of joie. 995
Whene swefte-fote tyme doe
rolle the daie alonge,
Somme hamlette scalle onto
oure fhuyrie brende;
Brastynge alyche a rocke,
or mountayne stronge,
The talle chyrche-spyre upon
the grene shalle bende;
Wee wylle the walles, & auntyante
tourrettes rende, 1000
Pete everych tree whych goldyn
fruyte doe beere,
Downe to the goddes the ownerrs
dhereof sende,
Besprengynge alle abrode sadde warre &
bloddie weere.
Botte fyrste to yynder oke-tree
wee wylle flie;
And thence wylle yssue owte onne all yatte
commeth bie. 1005
ANODHER PARTE OF THE WOODE.
CELMONDE, BIRTHA.
BIRTHA.
Thys merkness doe affraie
mie wommanns breaste.
Howe sable ys the spreddynge
skie arrayde!
Hailie the bordeleire, who
lyves to reste,
Ne ys att nyghtys flemynge
hue dysmayde;
The starres doe scantillie[110]
the sable brayde; 1010
Wyde ys the sylver lemes of
comforte wove;
Speke, Celmonde, does ytte
make thee notte afrayde?
CELMONDE.
Merker the nyghte, the fitter tyde for love.
BIRTHA.
Saiest thou for love? ah!
love is far awaie.
Faygne would I see once moe the roddie
lemes of daie. 1015
CELMONDE.
Love maie bee nie, woulde Birtha calle ytte here.
BIRTHA.
How, Celmonde, dothe thou mene?
CELMONDE.
Thys Celmonde
menes.
No leme, no eyne, ne mortalle
manne appere,
Ne lyghte, an acte of love
for to bewreene;
Nete in thys forreste, botte
thys tore[111], dothe sheene, 1020
The whych, potte oute, do
leave the whole yn nyghte;
See! howe the brauncynge trees
doe here entwyne,
Makeynge thys bower so pleasynge
to the syghte;
Thys was for love fyrste made,
& heere ytt stondes,
Thatte hereynne lovers maie enlyncke yn
true loves bondes. 1025